It has been a while since our remodel project was deemed complete for the year. It would probably better be called a “phase” of the master remodel plan. We purchased a wonderful dining set that has some really comfortable swivel and non-swivel chairs. They are made out of metal and held up really well under the weather that was experienced so far.

We also finally put together the Outdoor Heating Lamps and got them functioning to generate some nice warmth for the fall weather and upcoming winter. We have two of them and unfortunately one of them needs some minor repairs before it will work. They are quite stylish and really affordable. We purchased them at Costco during the summer time.

The office finally received its own deck. This was one of the last elements to be installed and the workmanship is very good. There is enough space to place a chair and enjoy the fall weather or let the dog out in the chilly mornings without really having to leave the house. The lamps provide excellent light and this deck really is the start of the second phase of the project that we may get to next summer.

Enjoy the photographs! I took them with my Nikon D300 and a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED wide angle lens with a SB-800 AF Speedlight flash. I was using a corrupted 32GB flash card that has since been replaced, but many of the pictures I took were damaged.

Farook Khan

We were able to have the backyard ready for some fourth of July festivities. We finally had the gate structure to the pergola area built and installed. It was not stained yet, but we were able to installed the hardware. Charlie had spent some time hunting for the right hardware and accessories to put on the gate structure door. Once they were installed, they really made the gate look good.

Farook Khan

After the stain, paint and concrete all had a chance to cure and set, we unboxed the furniture and accessories that were sitting in the house. It was a very happy day when we decided to move everything outside and try it out. Unfortunately, the gate structures and other elements were not in place, and we actually moved the furniture back to the garage every night after we were done using it. We got the ceiling fans installed and brought some of the plants out to enjoy the newly finished backyard.

These pictures were taken on Sunday, 28 June 2009.

Farook Khan

After the house was completely painted and all the concrete placed, we unboxed the lighting fixtures. We had purchased them a few weeks prior and they had arrived and sat in the house for a few more weeks. The light fixtures really look great on the house and add so much detail. We also got a few matching lights for the side of the house and also for the porch off of the office.

We also selected the stain for the back pergola and I actually thought it was too dark. However, once the pergola was stained. It looked really good. The color of the house and the wood structure really came together and made for a complete design.

These pictures were taken on the 25th of June 2009:

Farook Khan

The second batch of concrete was placed in the backyard yard finishing the pergola area. The front pathway was also placed leading up to the front porch area. We really liked having the pathway curve from the drive way and also creating a small planting area. Within a few days of having the concrete placed, Charlie had the hot tub delivered and by the time I came home from work, the tub was filled and operational.

Take a look at the pictures taken on the 18 June 2009:

Farook Khan

Pebble Stone Clay is the color that we chose for the house and by the time I came home on the 16th of June, the house was mostly painted. The color of the house really looks great, especially with the white trims. The black windows in the front and all the wood details just made the house look good.

Farook Khan

By the 15th of June we were able to finally get some concrete down in the backyard. They divided the backyard pergola area into two concrete placements and placed the east side first. They were also able to get the pathway to the back half of the property. They were not quite done with the pergola when the concrete came, but we needed to coordinate everything to fit. Charlie was also anxious to get the hot tub installed.

They also were able to start painting the front of the house. The new white paint really made the front porch look really great and also with a touch of class. There were a few details and treatments done to the roofline to make it also very sharp and clean.

These are a few of the pictures I took on the 15th of June 2009:

Farook Khan

The pergola was making some great progress by the 12th of June. The east side of the pergola used many 20 foot long beams to span the distance. With the beams in place, the height and space of the backyard starting feeling really good. The natural wood looks fantastic and the final steps were being made prior to concrete placement. Coming home from work and seeing all the progress was really exciting. I remember coming home and looking down the right-of-way and seeing the wood timbers over the fence really bringing some definition and depth to the house.

Farook Khan

One of the design elements we required for the backyard was proper drainage of the rain and snow. Everything was designed so that the water would flow to a large industrial drain that would take the water from the backyard to the street. It required a little work to get the grading and elevations correct, but the end result was a capable drain and a pipe that ran under the fence, under the right-of-way and down to the street.

We also expanded the project a little further into the backyard and decided to continue the concrete pathway to the back porch off of the office.

Here are a few pictures from the 9th of June 2009:

Farook Khan

Within a few days after setting the pergola posts, we started mapping out all the underground work that we need to do before concrete was placed. We wanted to make sure that the pergola has electricity for the lighting and future ceiling fans that would be installed. We also wanted to make sure we were able to run the sprinkler electrical system for the backyard so we ran a conduit to the garage from the backyard. On the east side of the pergola area we made plans for a planting area and ran some conduits for electrical and water.

I was also able to capture a picture of Charlie relaxing with our neighbor Miriam who has lived next door for over 50 years. She has so many great stories about working and living in Salt Lake. I’ll definitely have to dedicate a few posts to her. I also got a shot of Jake inspecting the progress.

Our outdoor furniture also arrived and ended up sitting in the house for a few weeks. They are very comfortable and I’ll post some more pictures of those later on.

Enjoy the pictures from the 5 June 2009:

Farook Khan